Is Willow Good For Firewood? Nah…

• No, willow is not good firewood because as a hardwood it doesn’t produce a lot of heat and if it’s not adequately seasoned it can produce plumes of dense smoke
• It’s preferred as outdoor fireplace firewood- the smoking and the poor heat quality mean you shouldn’t be it in your fireplace or stove
• As a light hardwood, it is good for whittling
• It has a BTU rating of 17.6 million BTUs per cord- a very low rating
• However, willow is often used for smoking and curing meats, making an excellent charcoal

So, is it suitable for firewood?

When you go to the forest, the last thing you need to do is pick willow wood as your fireplace fuel. Willow wood might be the last option to use. When used as a fireplace, willow wood is generally rated from fair to worst/poor.

Willow wood is known to cause extensive creosote and produce less heat than other types of wood that are primarily used in fireplaces.

None of the willow species is suitable for firewood but can be used for outdoor purposes when seasoned well.

BTUs

Willow woods possess a BTU of approximately 17.6, meaning that it produces far less heat than other hardwood trees.

Where you can find it

Willows are also known as osiers and sallow, all from the genus Salix, and comprise over 400 species of shrubs and deciduous trees. They are found chiefly on moist soils in temperate and colder areas of the Northern Hemisphere.

Willow wood trees are comprised of various varieties, and they can give rise to highbred easily. Weeping willow trees are a well-known variety that is native to China. The Schouler’s willow and the Coyote willow are known to be North America’s native trees.

Willows usually grow well on the Mississippi River’s east side, although various varieties strayed and grew in the Midwest, Oklahoma, Texas, or southern and central California.

Properties of the tree itself

Leaves:

• fine-toothed
• usually lance-shaped and narrow
• typically dark, light green underneath, and shiny green top
• Fruits and Flower
• Fruits contain tiny seeds and are small brown capsules.
• Flowers are called catkins and are usually 1 to 3 inches in length.

Strength

Despite being soft and light, willow trees produce tough timber and are approximately 15 per cent inferior to ashes. Generally, its strength properties are similar to poplar, though it is twenty percent tougher or harder on side grain. Willows have twenty percent more when resisting tangential splitting.

Working qualities

Working quality is good—Willow woodworks with both machine and hand tools. However, there is a tendency for woolliness. Sharp tools are necessary to obtain the best outcomes. Crack willows usually split badly when converting (conversion).

• Texture: fine
• Density (Kg/m3): 450
• Treatability: Difficult
• Durability: Not durable

Quality of the fire

The weeping willow has a poor quality for burning. The weeping willow is known to burn very fast but moderately hot. The flames burn faster through the wood due to its light density. Since it burns fast, it does not produce numerous usable coals. Weeping willow splits easily and possesses a slight fragrance.

How easy is it to chop up firewood?

If you properly check the willow tree, you will notice that they all have a vast base. Most people don’t have long bars that can cut through them unless they use chain saws. After successfully cutting the large base, you still will have heavy rounds that are wet and hard to maneuver.

Uses of willow wood firewood

Willow wood can be burnt in fireplaces if the wood is adequately dried or cured. Willow wood firewood produces less heat than other woods, although it can be burnt unless the tree got treated with pesticides recently.

Is willow wood firewood used for grilling?

Although an outdoor fireplace is recommended, willow wood firewood may be used for grilling. Willow wood has long fibers and is usually thinner than other woods, and can smoke if they are not adequately treated.

Advantages of willow wood

Willow wood can be used in making furniture if an individual is not patient to wait for the wood to dry. You can dry the wood in the fireplace, although it may take longer to lose its moisture content.

Disadvantages of willow wood

Compared to other types of hardwoods, willow wood has a poor burning quality. It takes a very long period to dry. Willow wood firewood produces a lot of smoke. Lastly, willow wood produces considerably lower heat as opposed to other hardwoods.

Summing Up

Willow firewood is a light hardwood that is native to moist soils in temperate and colder areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Willow trees are comprised of various varieties and can give rise to highbred easily. Willows usually grow well on the Mississippi River’s east side, although various varieties strayed and grew in the Midwest, Oklahoma, Texas, or southern and central California.

Willow firewood is not the best timber for burning, as it produces less heat than other woods, and tends to smoke a lot. However, willow wood can be used in making furniture or for grilling, as it has long fibers that make it thinner than other woods.

Eugene Duke

Hi, my name’s Eugene Duke and I love sitting by my fireplace reading a book and sipping on an adult beverage. Do you have a fireplace in your house? I’ll help you figure out the best type and style of fireplace for your home.